They say work smarter, not harder. That’s exactly what many high-skilled immigrants are doing by taking jobs in Canada rather than the U.S.
On June 12, 2017, Canada unveiled its new Global Skills Strategy, effectively giving skilled foreign workers a fast track to employment with our friends to the north. The program is designed to process applications within a two-week period. Counter that with the increasingly difficult H-1B visa petition process in the U.S., and it’s easy to see why Canada looks promising.
Canada is taking the opposite route than the U.S. in regard to its immigrant workforce. Whereas President Trump and his administration are overt with their priorities (i.e., “Buy American, Hire American”), Canadian leadership is embracing the growth that comes with a diverse workforce.
“When companies are able to grow and thrive here in Canada, they create good, middle-class jobs for Canadians,” says Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour Patty Hajdu. “Our new Global Talent Stream will give companies a faster and more efficient process to bring in global talent, so they can grow and expand their Canadian workforces. We’re keeping Canada competitive in the global marketplace and helping our industries grow and succeed.”
The Canadian government not only sees the benefit of growing its workforce, but it also develops policies around those benefits — namely, its two-week applications. If the United States plans on remaining a force to be reckoned with in the business world, it must abandon its anti-immigrant rhetoric and develop a comprehensive immigration policy that will allow for workforce growth that’s readily available.